"I Thought He Was Gone" "Tears at Dad's Voice"... The Story of a Pet Dog Reunited with Family After Six Years

Discovered Through a Lost Pet Shelter App
Recognized Instantly Despite Six Years of Change

A puppy named 'Niru' returns to the family after 6 years. JTBC News YouTube capture

A heartwarming story has been reported about a pet dog that miraculously returned to its family after being lost for six years.

According to News1 on January 8, the dog's owner, identified as A, lost their pet dog 'Niru' six years ago. While the owner's mother was staying at a postpartum care center after giving birth to her youngest child, Niru was entrusted to an acquaintance. However, the front gate was not properly closed, and Niru managed to get outside.

The family immediately began searching, but they could not find Niru anywhere on Jeju Island, where A lived. Even though they checked an app every day that aggregates information from animal shelters about abandoned and lost pets, they did not spot a single dog resembling Niru for six years.

Then, a post appeared looking for the owner of a Yorkshire Terrier, the same breed as Niru. Although the dog looked different from the lively Niru of six years ago, with its once bright, shiny eyes and glossy fur, A said, "I had a feeling it might be Niru."

After contacting the shelter, the family received a photo of the dog after grooming. Upon seeing the photo, every family member reached the same conclusion: "Although the appearance has changed a lot, we are certain this is the Niru we loved."

They visited the shelter right away, but Niru showed no reaction. His tail had been cut, and he seemed to have shut himself off. Even after returning home, he did not respond when called, but when the father arrived, Niru ran toward him, stumbling and falling four times on his injured leg.

The family expressed, "Niru, thank you for coming back to us and for surviving alone in this cold, vast world. We're sorry and grateful. We never gave up on you, not even once. We love you."

As the story spread, online users left messages of encouragement such as, "It's a miracle," "Both Niru and the family must have gone through so much," "It took a long time, but it's wonderful they were reunited," and "This will bring great hope to other pet owners who have lost their animals."